While the prospects of playing a 2020 season dwindle for the Atlanta Braves, the Batter Up! Podcast discussed who stands to lose the most with the potential cancellation of this year's campaign.
The three Braves insiders concur the biggest loss is a year of Ronald Acuna, not just from a development standpoint, but losing a year of team control as well as a year on his franchise-friendly deal.
"This guy is becoming the face of the franchise, maybe the face of Major League Baseball," Johnson says. "You could throw out all the possibilities, maybe he's National League MVP, maybe the Braves are poised to get to a World Series."
Joe Patrick believes a player who could have broken out in 2020 might not get that chance.
"I think this detrimental for a guy like Austin Riley, he had his ups and downs. He carried the team for a six week period and vaulted the Braves from being a middling team to really taking a stronghold over the NL East." Patrick said. "It's going to be really tough for him to find that middle ground after not facing live pitching for a year."
A potential lockout or strike could have a tremendous effect on one whole unit, according to Will Palaszczuk.
"The young pitching staff, the guys like Mike Soroka and Mike Foltynewicz. I think this was a big year for them," Palaszczuk said. "But even some of the fringe and up and coming guys like Sean Newcomb & Kyle Wright. Other guys like Bryse Wilson and Touki Toussaint could have benefitted from the expanded rosters of a season, and if the season is cancelled, the Braves won't know how to direct their offseason resources in regards to their pitching."
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